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The Chosun Ilbo

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The Chosun Ilbo, also known as The Chosun Daily, is a major Korean-language newspaper in South Korea. It serves as a newspaper of record for the nation. This means it is considered a primary source for important news and historical facts. It is one of the oldest active newspapers currently operating in the country. The publication maintains a massive reach with a daily circulation exceeding 1,800,000 readers.

Chosun IIbo Logo
Chosun IIbo Logo

To understand how the company operates, one must look at its various branches. These are called subsidiaries, which are smaller companies owned by a larger one. The main company manages several different publications. These include the Weekly Chosun and the Monthly Chosun. It also operates ChosunBiz for business news and Edu-Chosun for education. Digital Chosun is the branch that runs the Chosun.com news website. This website provides news in several languages, including English, Chinese, and Japanese.

The history of the newspaper began in the early 20th century. Sin Sogu founded the paper on March 5, 1920. He received financial support from the Daejong Business Association. Cho Jin-Tae served as the first president in 1920. However, the relationship with the Association broke down quickly due to unpaid finances. This led to Yoo Moon-Hwan replacing Cho as president on August 15, 1920. The paper faced many hardships during its early years. It even went on a hiatus in 1921 because of money troubles.

During the period of Japanese rule, the newspaper faced severe government pressure. The Japanese ruling government officially discontinued the paper on July 10, 1940. This happened right after the publication of an editorial series titled "Lessons of American Realism." In the twenty years following its founding, the government suspended the paper four times. Before 1932, authorities had confiscated its issues more than five hundred times. The paper finally resumed its regular publication in 1945 after Korea gained independence.

A major technical change occurred for the newspaper in the late 1990s. For most of its history, the paper used a vertical writing style. This meant text was written from top to bottom and right to left. On March 1, 1999, the paper announced it would switch to a horizontal style. This new style moves from left to right across the page. The March 1 issue was the last one written in the old vertical style. It was also the last mainstream Korean paper to use that method.

Chosun IIbo Logo
Chosun IIbo Logo

Even after the switch, the paper committed to using hanja, which are Chinese characters used in Korean writing.

The Chosun Ilbo has been involved in several significant controversies. It is known for taking a hardline stance against North Korea. This stance led to heavy criticism and threats from the North. For example, the paper opposed the Sunshine Policy of President Kim Dae-jung. This policy aimed to improve relations through cooperation and economic engagement. In May 2019, the paper reported that a North Korean diplomat had been executed. However, the diplomat was seen in public only two days later.

Chosun IIbo Logo
Chosun IIbo Logo

Legal and political investigations have also shaped the paper's reputation. In 2005, the South Korean government and activists investigated the paper's past. They looked into whether the paper collaborated with the Japanese Empire. This was due to articles published between 1938 and 1940 that praised the Japanese Imperial House. Additionally, the company's leadership faced serious legal battles. In 2002, chairman Bang Sang-hoon was indicted for tax evasion and embezzlement.

Chosun IIbo Logo
Chosun IIbo Logo

The legal issues regarding Bang Sang-hoon involved very large sums of money. He was accused of evading 6.2 billion won in taxes. He was also accused of embezzling 4.5 billion won from company funds. Later, in 2006, he faced further charges for evading 2.35 billion won in gift taxes. He had allegedly transferred 65,000 shares to his son through a nominal trust. The Supreme Court eventually sentenced him to three years in prison. This sentence included a four-year suspended sentence and a 2.5 billion won fine.

Chosun IIbo Logo
Chosun IIbo Logo
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